James Fishback, CEO of investment firm Azoria, has captured public attention in a proposal aimed at redistributing savings from governmental efficiencies in the form of stimulus checks.

Fishback’s proposed plan would distribute “DOGE Dividends” of $5,000 to each American tax-paying household, which President Donald Trump said on Wednesday was “under consideration.”

Per NBC News, Fishback has been serving as an advisor to DOGE.

Why It Matters

By leveraging savings identified by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which the agency alleges has saved an estimated $55 billion, Fishback says his proposal aims to enhance public trust in government while financially empowering American households.

What To Know

The 30-year-old investment firm founder grew up as the child of a bus driver and a Colombian immigrant and dropped out of Georgetown University to establish a hedge fund at 21 years old, according to MarketWatch.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he started working for Greenlight Capital in 2021. In 2023, he founded the investment firm Azoria, where he now serves as CEO. He also serves as president and founder of the Incubate Debate, a non-profit organization that teaches high school students how to debate.

Notably, Fishback is in the middle of a lawsuit with Greenlight Capital. The firm has accused him of misrepresenting his role, and Fishback is countersuing for defamation.

Fishback was at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago this past December to launch Azoria Meritocracy ETF, an exchange-traded fund (ETF) set to invest in S&P 500 companies that don’t engage in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). He’s also been tied to ex-DOGE official Vivek Ramaswamy, appearing on Ramaswamy’s podcast in November.

As for how the “DOGE Dividend” proposal came to be, Fishback told Newsweek the idea emerged during his sleep.

“It came to me in a dream. I woke up and called our Head of Research at Azoria, and we drafted the proposal during a two-hour lunch at Capital Grille,” Fishback said.

Fishback’s proposal for “DOGE Dividends” links directly to his broader vision of a government that actively rewards its citizens for their vigilance against wasteful spending. In doing so, “… DOGE can save even more and as a result deliver an even bigger DOGE Dividend check to hard-working Americans,” said Fishback.

The proposal suggests that about 79 million American households could benefit from a direct payment, incentivizing them to report inefficiencies, thus potentially increasing overall savings.

Critics argue that while the plan is ambitious, it risks inflaming inflation and could be seen as a political maneuver rather than a genuine fiscal reform.

What People Are Saying

James Fishback, CEO of investment firm Azoria and architect of the DOGE Dividend proposal, told Newsweek: “Long-term this will transform the economy into a lean, free-market that allows anyone to work hard, earn a living and pay taxes knowing that they will be spent responsibly, honestly and with maximum efficiency.”

President Donald Trump said at the FII Priority Summit in Miami Beach on Wednesday: “There’s even under consideration a new concept where we give 20 percent of the DOGE savings to American citizens, and 20 percent goes to paying down debt.”

Lance Roberts, chief investment strategist and economist at RIA Advisors, told Newsweek: “If you increase demand, without a subsequent increase in supply, inflation is the result. A tax credit would be more beneficial in helping the bottom 50 percent of income tax payers that pay little or no taxes (they get a refund) but won’t create as big of a demand surge.”

What Happens Next

The future of the DOGE Dividend plan hinges on legislative approval and the practical outcomes of DOGE’s ongoing efforts to trim federal spending.